Colorado State football coach Jim McElwain sees plenty of effort

Coach knows final grade has to change

By Mike Brohard Sports Editor

Posted:
10/14/2013 08:15:07 PM MDT

Colorado State tight end Kivon Cartwright ran away from San Jose State linebacker Keith Smith on this scoring play, but has been the case too often for the Rams this year, the Spartans passed them on the scoreboard in the end. (Timothy Hurst)

After Saturday's discouraging loss -- another case of Colorado State not holding on to a lead this season -- head football coach Jim McElwain said he still believes in his team.

On Monday, at his weekly press conference, the second-year coach said he trusts his 2-4 squad, and both stances are based on the progress he sees each passing week.

"I trust them. What I was wondering when I was going to watch the video if it was a lack of intensity or effort, and (it) really measured," McElwain said. "These guys are playing hard now. Sometimes we might be pressing a little bit. I think the expectation I put on them ... Guys, I put a lot of expectations on them.

"When you learn to deal with it and handle it, the effort part is one thing I think sometimes I didn't see all the time when I first got here. I'm seeing that. I'm seeing us in games, I'm seeing us with leads. I go home afterwards as miserable as everybody, and probably more so. And it isn't for me. It's because I know the investment these guys have made and continue to make."

The loss, 34-27 to San Jose State at home to open the Mountain West schedule, was horrid on many fronts. The Rams offense moved the ball and led at halftime. In the second half, they scored just three points.

Defensively, they missed tackles -- a number so high McElwain said he didn't want to go there -- and gave up long scoring passes three times in the game.

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It wasn't pretty, but McElwain said he won't hit the panic button.

But he's also a realist, and he knows his team doesn't have a lot of passing marks on the report card.

"We are judged on Saturday," he said. "What did we get on the test, and we've had a lot of Fs on tests. I know our preparation, and we're getting a lot of good grades in subsections of that test. Now we've got to complete it."

For McElwain, it's finding the positive to deliver the message. If a play doesn't go well, he wants to show them when they did it right.

The players want to view it that way, too, but the seeing the mistakes lead to losses is getting hard to take.

"It can get a little frustrating, but at the same time we know there's progress to be made and can be seen each week," offensive lineman Brandon Haynes said. "We know we're going to hit it in these next games to come up."

This week presents the next challenge, and in McElwain's mind, Saturday's Border War at Wyoming is a special occasion. He loves the history of the game, the traditions held by both schools and the fight it brings out from both sides.

To him, fight hasn't been a problem. It's been setting the feet right, squaring the shoulders and delivering the knockout punch.

"It comes back to not less effort, because our effort has been pretty good," he said. "Don't hit the panic button guys. I'd love to say act like you've been there before. I'm not sure that we've been there before.

"The question should be how do you teach that? You teach that by staying the course. You teach that by showing when you are doing those things that help you follow through. What a better opportunity that we have now this week, playing in a game that means so much to so many people."

Training room -- Linebacker Shaquil Barrett did not practice Monday with a high ankle sprain, and McElwain said it would be later in the week before the team knows if he'll play this week.

"He's not a bad player, and we're better when he's playing," McElwain said.

Another starter, guard Jordan Gragert, twisted his ankle in the loss, but didn't miss a snap and McElwain feels he'll be fine Saturday. He was limited Monday, but the team did get back wideout Jordon Vaden and linebacker Nolan Peralta. Running back Donnell Alexander had a thigh bruise, but was expected to be fine.

As for sophomore linebacker Kevin Davis, McElwain thinks he is done for the year, adding the team will look into petitioning for a medical hardship year. Davis played last year as a true freshman.

"I think the evidence is there for it," he said. "I don't have the final say. The NCAA does, which could be good or bad."